Federico Schena
Full Professor of Methods and Didactics of Physical Education, University of Verona
W.H.O. defines health as “a state of total physical, mental and social well-being” and not only as “absence of disease”. Everyday, We experiment the true of this statement because those who have a good level of general wellbeing become less ill. To be well means to control a whole series of phenomena that underlie the good functioning of our organism. SoLongevity goes in this direction, with the aim of putting people in a position to make appropriate choices at the right time, via a concept of active-prevention to build an healthy future. Within this vision, I deal with the role of physical activities, one of the most relevant elements among those that influence epigenetics: thanks to it we can act on DNA expression. This is important at any age, but it is even more important from the age of 50 onwards. Today, much more than in the past, physical activity is a voluntary choice and must be personalised: adapted to the general conditions, diet, attitudes, our body’s ability to respond and any present and past illnesses.
Federico Schena is Full Professor of Methods and Didactics of Sports Education and Deputy Director of the Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement at the University of Verona. He is also Director of CeRiSM (Centre for Sport, Mountain and Health Research) within the same university. He currently coordinates two research groups in Verona and Rovereto and is responsible for four laboratories of Sport performance and Exercise evaluation.
The main areas of study are: training and sports performance; energy of human locomotion; metabolic and vascular adaptations in hypoxia; physical exercise, health and ageing (e.g. exercise-induced changes in the biological phenomena of ageing). Between 2002 and 2009 he was responsible for the medical-scientific staff of the national cross-country skiing teams and team doctor at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin.
He is a founding member and President of the Italian Society of Motor and Sport Sciences, President of the Conference of Study Courses in Sports Science and Chief Editor of Sport Science for Health (Springer Nature). Schena is author of over 250 publications and 500 communications at scientific congresses.